Willie Mays 70 years since his major league debut!!
bumpskier
Posts: 65 ✭✭
On May 25, 1951, a young man by the name of Willie Howard Mays made his MLB debut for the New York Giants. It was less than three weeks after Mays' 20th birthday, and he marked the occasion by going 0-for-5 at the dish.
And while the Giants, New York City and baseball fans across America had a lot to look forward to as Mays became an everyday player and perennial All-Star, the state of Minnesota was not so pleased at the time.
See, Mays started the '51 season playing for the Minneapolis Millers, a Minor League affiliate of the Giants. In 35 games for the Millers that season, Mays hit .477/.524/.799 with eight home runs and 18 doubles.
The Millers were on the road when the Giants called Mays up. Naturally, he was at the movies (as was his ritual when on the road) when the Giants came calling. A message flashed on the screen that said, "Willie Mays Go To Lobby."
Mays boarded a flight from Omaha, Neb., to New York City and did so with his Major League style on full display:
MaysDebut
Two days after his 0-for-5 debut, Giants president Horace Stoneham issued a formal apology to the people of Minneapolis for robbing them of the pleasure of watching Mays practice his trade that summer.
I was friends with and a good customer of a baseball card dealer and promoter of baseball card shows n Detroit in the early 1980s and he had secured Willie Mays to headline his show and sign autographs. Talking to him I volunteered to pick up Willie Mays from the airport and agreed. I was surprised he let me do it because i was 16 and only had my license for a few months. but he was busy trying to manage his show and had to worry about many other tyhings. I had heard about Mays reputation for being surly but he was nice to me and in a good mood. It is a memory I will never forget.
I'm so glad he reached this milestone. I follow the list of living 1952 Topps players and just about anyone on that list will reach this milestone this year. I can only think of a few other star players who reached this milestone. Bob Feller made to almost 74 years since his MLB debut becuase he made his MLB debut at age 17. Whitey Ford I think just barely made it. Yogi Berra i think made it to 69 years since his MLB debut. I thought and hoped that Al Kaline was going to make it since he made his MLB debut in 1953 at age 18 and he seemed to be in good health in recent years and was very accessible at Tigers games and walking around in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Unfortunately he passed away in 2020. I hope Sandy Koufax and Brooks Robinson can meet this goal as they are probably the stars with the best chance to reach this goal in the next few years.
Comments
He turned 90 a couple of weeks ago.
Legend.
You see, now I'm going to have to poke around the Willie Mays card section on the Bay. You people are forcing me to collect more, I've got cards everywhere around here. A few weeks ago I slipped on a Larry Bird card and almost fell!
Best all around MLB player ever in my opinion
I told you to stop leaving Larry Legend on your floor. If you are going to treat him like that, you would be better off sending it to me.
I'm sorry, it won't happen again. I moved him so he's safe now, I promise.
Great post @bumpskier
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Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Unbelievable! He was so good. One time when I was a teenager and I was at the game I shouted out, "HEY WILLIE!" he waved back to me and came over and said, "Hi" I was on Cloud Nine. He very well could be the best that ever played the game......I think so.
Willie is now the elder statesman of the game. has outlived Mickey by over 25 years.
i met willie 22 summers ago. at that point as we shook hands he still had a very impressive grip. I am sure he was very strong as a young man.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.